In the eye of the beholder

It's like the pundits have been brainwashed and the journalists blinkered to football in the rest of the world

Rob Palmer, commentator ESPN

Thursday, 27 February 2025, 14:22

'That's why it is undoubtedly the best league in the world!"

If I had a pound coin for every time I've heard the phrase unthinkingly uttered, I could buy an English Premier League club.

It's like the pundits have been brainwashed and the journalists blinkered to football in the rest of the world.

I've written here many times that the EPL is the best-marketed and best-organised league, but I'd argue it lacks one major element - competitiveness; it is the opposite of La Liga.

The Premier League title is sewn up before the end of February and, yet again, the promoted three from last season appear to be the relegated three from this season. Liverpool are 11 points clear, there's a five-point gap between the doomed trio and safety.

Compare that to La Liga. Barcelona are only ahead of Real Madrid on goals difference; Atlético Madrid are just a point behind. Villarreal in fifth are closer in points to top than Arsenal who are in second in England. At the bottom end, five - maybe six - teams are fighting demotion.

I heard the phrase during the weekend's Everton v Man United game - a pretty meaningless 14th against 15th match-up. It was an entertaining game, yet not a patch on Barcelona's eight-goal thriller with Atlético Madrid. The Copa del Rey semi-final knocked spots off the 2-2 draw at Goodison.

The lazy assumption is that the same teams win the same leagues every year. In Spain, no team has retained the title in the past six years as Barça, Real and Atlético have shared the success. In England, Manchester City have won six of the past seven championships - with just one Liverpool intervention.

One measure can be European success. In the past 20 years, English clubs have been crowned European champions six times; Spanish clubs nine times. In the secondary UEFA Cup/Europa League competition, Chelsea have won it twice in two decades, Spanish clubs have won it 11 times in that timespan. Sevilla, Atlético and Villareal have all shared the glory.

I'm certainly not anti-Premier League and indoctrinated that the Spanish league is better. I commentate on both - and they have contrasting virtues. Matches between the English clubs are generally played in front of sell-out crowds with strong, noisy away support. It is organised; it is regimented; and it almost has a royal seal of approval.

Here in Spain, it's more laissez-faire and that could reflect the society in which it is played. The most annoying thing is the lack of organisation. This weekend's upcoming schedule was flipped at short notice. We only know the kick-off times and days of matches going into the mid-March international break.

This old-school approach prevents Spain ever boasting the "best league in the world" title. Global appeal is harmed by not knowing when games will take place - they miss out on tourist fans and TV audiences with their lax attitude.

So. let's agree, shall we? Premier League = best organised; La Liga = most competitive. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder or should that be rights holders?

Top 50

Esta funcionalidad es exclusiva para registrados.

Reporta un error en esta noticia